Sifting through the the numerous client file stacked in my office, with Mal's help, in no time I see the Miss Lucy's file I'm after. We abandon the mess we made as I quickly run my eyes through the content of the document. Name, age, dress pattern and address….The address- 264, Anori street, Iyana Ipaja.
Shit. That's like over one hour from here on a good day. Since it's currently evening, we won't be able to make it to and fro. As much as I would like to be there for the search, I know it's not safe going about Lagos so late so I decide to hand it to the police. They could definitely cover more grounds than I am Mal. It would be letter to let them do it.
I doubt they would discover anything tangible there anyways.
Taking my phone from my pocket, I dial the DPO's number.
"hello?"
"hello."
"who is this?"
"its Tobi."
"Tobi.. Tobi.. oh Tobi! Adesina right?" He makes an irritated sound before sighing deeply. "look, I've not gotten far wi-"
"I'm not surprised. Anyways, we have a lead."
Silence. "You have a lead? What do you mean you have a lead? Are you also investigating?"
"does that matter? All that is important right now is to find that girl."
"okay. So what do you have?"
I look to Mal, he nods, urging me to go on. "the person we're after is the guardian of the little girl, and I believe is also responsible for my attack a month ago. This person is a woman. Her name is Lucy. She was a client a while back. I am going to forward everything we have about her so you can get to work. Remember, money is not the problem."
"okay. I'll look into it."
I end the call and turn to Mal. "I guess that's it. We can only wait to hear about their findings tomorrow." I say, a little too happy.
Mal smiles. "yes, we'll hear from them tomorrow. What we're going to do now is to get you home so you can rest." Mal say, walking to me. "then get you fed and after that…" he is standing before me now. I wait, wondering what he has in mind. I pull him to me, wrap my arms around his midsection and I wait. With a wicked smile on his face he says. "you'll go to bed and you will sleep so you can unwind all the tension today brought."
Scowling, I shove him away from me. "you're so mean. You got me worked up for nothing."
He laughs loudly a d I wonder what is so funny. "what where you expecting? " he asks between laughter.
"oh I don't know, maybe a good fucking session." Sarcasm drips heavily from my voice. Mal still believes I'm not ready for sex even though I'm fully healed. I understand his concern but I'm seriously over this over careful shit already. I was never known to have control over my immediate desires.
He gives a little sassy eye roll. Oh I see how it is now. Mal has decided to start having an attitude. I wonder where mister cool calm and collected disappeared to.
I gently nudge him with my fist. "hey don't roll your eyes at me. I'm the eye roller in this relationship. Weren't you always reminding me of the fact that you're older than me? Better act your age."
He starts laughing again. Apparently, I'm all jokes this evening. "oh my baby, you're just so hilarious."
I eye him. "so when are we going to fuck?"
His laugh stops immediately the words come out of my mouth. "um.. when you're healed."
"I am healed. You should see what I dumped in the toilet this morning with ease, kinda rivals what you have in your pants." I say matter of fact.
His mouth drops open in shock before breaking into a grin. "you're something else. I can never imagine what would come out of your mouth."
I shrug. I mostly do not have a filter. I don't even know why he still gets shocked. "so when will we do it?" I ask again. My eyes travelling down his frame. I can never tire of looking at him, he is just so incredibly hot.
He groans. "can you stop doing that?"
"doing what? Looking at you like I want to strip you down and have my wicked way with you?" I pause for drama. "No. Not until you give me what I want."
"okay okay. Next week. I just want you to be fully there before we try anything."
I ponder his proposition. I guess next week is better than no time in sight. I can wait till next week if it's going to make him feel better. It's no big deal at all. At least then we can both enjoy it without one party fearing for the other.
"okay. I guess next week is alright." I tell him and he looks relieved at my acceptance. He knows I can be really persistent when I need something, I know he must be really grateful that I didn't argue the issue.
He bends down to pick up the files we scattered everywhere. "what are you doing?"
He turns his head a bit to my side. "arranging."
"Why are you arranging the documents? I already have people for that. When the come tomorrow morning, they'll put things back in order." I explain to him.
"its no big deal. I can just do them now while you wait."
Seeing as he wants to be stubborn, I pull out the big guns. "Mal, I'm so tired. Weren't you the one that said we'll go home immediately?" I make sure my voice sounds whiny.
He looks up sharply at me ignoring the files at his front. "are you in any pain?" he asks, looking so serious it almost hurts my heart to do this. Almost.
I nod.
He looks alarmed. Immediately dropping the document on him, stand up and gathers me in his arms. How he manages to do that, given we're around the same build is beyond me. "why did you not tell me earlier? We could have gone home already." He pulls back, brings one hand up to my face and cups my jaw. "where does it hurt?"
I bite my lips, trying to look in pain. "everywhere. Let's just go."
"okay. Come on." He pulls me out the door. "lets go home."
I grin, savoring the taste of victory.
The next morning, I haven't even gotten out of bed when my phone rang. I answer the call when "dumb idiot" appears on my screen. It's the DPO. I really think the name suits him even though Mal is not in support of it. He says it screams childish. I told him I loved him but he could kindly shove his opinion where the sun didn't shine. He only smiled lovingly at my brash response.
He's so cheesy.
"Hello, you better have something good for me otherwise I'll be very angry at you for disturbing my sleep."
A deep anguished sigh echoes from the phone. I smile, happy to have successfully irritated him this morning. "we went to the address you gave to us yesterday. There wasn't anything to find there. The building is owned by a man according to the people around."
"a man? It's supposed to be a woman there."
"yeah. We were able to get a hold on the man. He claims to be the owner of the apartment. He said a woman has been renting the apartment since middle lady year but he has never seen her face to face."
"who even rents out an apartment to someone they've never seen. That's stupid as fuck."
"well, it's common in areas like that. Landlords looking for money do not really care who or what is moving into their houses as long as they're with cash."
Well, if she rented from him should the landlord not have her contact information. So he voiced out his thoughts.
"Yes he does and we're trying to trace the number. But the name given to the landlord is fake so I doubt the number will lead anywhere." He explains.
I sigh angry and irritated. This is not going anywhere. We're just going in circles. I want to punch something and scream but I manage to pull myself together.
"Okay. Anything you find let me know."
"will do." The call ends. I close my eyes trying to not spiral.
When I open my eyes, I check the time. Few minutes after nine. Mal has long gone to work and it's time for me to do same.
I won't be at work all through the day though. I have my therapy session from two to three o'clock. After that, I'll come home.